AB-896
Social Services

Foster care: placement transition planning.

Engrossed
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Requires counties to develop placement transition policies to support foster children moving between homes or reunifying with family.
  • Mandates 14-day advance notice to all parties before changing a foster child's placement unless safety risks exist.
  • Ensures foster children and caregivers have input into placement transitions to reduce trauma and maintain stability.
  • Requires social workers to create preservation strategies before changing any foster care placement.

Summary

Assembly Member Elhawary's foster care reform legislation requires California counties to develop comprehensive placement transition policies to support children moving between foster care settings or reunifying with their families. The bill mandates that these policies ensure children can provide input on their transitions and establishes guidelines for social workers to gather and share information in ways that reduce trauma and address children's developmental, cultural, and emotional needs.

Under the legislation, county child welfare agencies must consult with foster youth and caregivers to create policies that consider children's educational, medical, mental health, and social needs while maintaining important relationships and community connections. The policies must detail how transitions will be managed - from timing and preparation to transportation and participation in upcoming activities. Counties are required to designate staff to communicate with children throughout transitions to ensure they understand the process.

The State Department of Social Services will issue guidance on transition planning best practices, after which counties have one year to submit their policies for review. The bill also amends existing law to expand foster children's rights and modify resource family approval processes, requiring additional training on supporting placement transitions. These changes aim to create more stable and supportive environments during necessary placement changes.

The measure builds upon current requirements for placement preservation strategies by establishing standardized procedures for cases where preservation is not possible. Counties must document and report on transitions that extend beyond standard timeframes, enabling oversight of implementation and outcomes.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Human Services Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Human Services Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 896 Elhawary Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Do pass. To Consent Calendar
Assembly Human Services Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Human Services Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Robert RivasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 9 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Robert RivasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Sade ElhawaryD
Assemblymember
Bill Author

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Robert Rivas
Robert RivasD
California State Assembly Member
Sade Elhawary
Sade ElhawaryD
California State Assembly Member
40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/15/2025)

Latest Voting History

June 30, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
6017PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Requires counties to develop placement transition policies to support foster children moving between homes or reunifying with family.
  • Mandates 14-day advance notice to all parties before changing a foster child's placement unless safety risks exist.
  • Ensures foster children and caregivers have input into placement transitions to reduce trauma and maintain stability.
  • Requires social workers to create preservation strategies before changing any foster care placement.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Robert Rivas
Robert RivasD
California State Assembly Member
Sade Elhawary
Sade ElhawaryD
California State Assembly Member

Summary

Assembly Member Elhawary's foster care reform legislation requires California counties to develop comprehensive placement transition policies to support children moving between foster care settings or reunifying with their families. The bill mandates that these policies ensure children can provide input on their transitions and establishes guidelines for social workers to gather and share information in ways that reduce trauma and address children's developmental, cultural, and emotional needs.

Under the legislation, county child welfare agencies must consult with foster youth and caregivers to create policies that consider children's educational, medical, mental health, and social needs while maintaining important relationships and community connections. The policies must detail how transitions will be managed - from timing and preparation to transportation and participation in upcoming activities. Counties are required to designate staff to communicate with children throughout transitions to ensure they understand the process.

The State Department of Social Services will issue guidance on transition planning best practices, after which counties have one year to submit their policies for review. The bill also amends existing law to expand foster children's rights and modify resource family approval processes, requiring additional training on supporting placement transitions. These changes aim to create more stable and supportive environments during necessary placement changes.

The measure builds upon current requirements for placement preservation strategies by establishing standardized procedures for cases where preservation is not possible. Counties must document and report on transitions that extend beyond standard timeframes, enabling oversight of implementation and outcomes.

40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/15/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Human Services Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Human Services Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 896 Elhawary Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Do pass. To Consent Calendar
Assembly Human Services Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Human Services Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Latest Voting History

June 30, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
6017PASS

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Robert RivasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 9 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Robert RivasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Sade ElhawaryD
Assemblymember
Bill Author